


Clint Barton, Library Page

by epeeblade



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Library, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-06
Updated: 2013-06-06
Packaged: 2017-12-14 04:04:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/832517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epeeblade/pseuds/epeeblade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint had never much cared for books. Reading had got him through his GED and the application to college, but he never could be accused of being a huge bookworm</p>
<p>Which was why it was so especially funny that he got the work study job at the library.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clint Barton, Library Page

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah. Library fic. I should add this to my list of cliches. 
> 
> Thanks to Lapillus for looking it over for me.

Clint had never much cared for books. Reading had got him through his GED and the application to college, but he never could be accused of being a huge bookworm

Which was why it was so especially funny that he got the work study job at the library.

Apparently he was the only one of the applicants who was able to lift forty pounds while standing on a ladder. Clint had told the woman interviewing him that he could lift more than that while dangling from his legs if she wanted. She’d politely said, “That won’t be necessary,” but he still managed to score the job.

And if he did climb to the top of the shelving units and flip between them, there was no one to actually tell Clint that he couldn’t.

He kind of liked being able to perch where he wanted. The library wasn’t exactly the circus, but Clint could scale the towering shelves and pretend he was in the big top again. It wasn’t like he missed his old life. Getting a degree meant someday getting a real job, and a normal life.

Although maybe normal was overrated.

Clint learned every inch of the college library. He poured through the colorful art volumes in the oversized section, looked up ridiculous facts in reference, and then discovered a place more dusty than the rest. The call numbers didn’t make sense at first, and then the nice librarian sat him down and explained what SuDoc meant.

He’d inadvertently stumbled onto the Government Documents collection, which was separate from the rest of the library’s volumes. It seemed to be Clint’s secret place, so he started hiding out there during his breaks. He’d climb to the tallest shelf with the cookies he’d nabbed from the staff room and his Stats homework. If he cleaned up the crumbs later, then no one else would know.

His sanctuary was invaded one afternoon when he was taking his break later than usual so he could cover Nat’s shift behind circulation. Clint honestly preferred shelving books to dealing with other students - although he couldn’t count the number of times Fury had threatened him with filing microfiche.

This afternoon, there was a guy in the stacks, flipping through the rows of filed hearings and muttering to himself. Clint watched from his perch, a few rows over. There was something to the man - the way he stood, how soft his hair seemed, even the way his eyes crinkled as he rummaged through the documents. He seemed to be searching for something.

Clint leaped to the closest shelf and hung backwards from his knees, as if he were on the trapeze. “Can I help you find something?”

The guy didn’t even flinch. Every time Clint pulled this trick he managed to get a jump out of the person. “Unless you can tell me where the 1954 hearings are, then, no.”

“Those are bound. You’re in the loose collection.” Clint pulled himself upright and scampered back down to the ground. “This way.”

The man blinked. “Aren’t you a little young to be a librarian?”

Clint grinned. The guy was cute. His blue eyes were adorable. “Clint Barton, library page. And you are?”

“Phil Coulson, graduate student.” He smiled back. “You’re new, aren’t you? I would have seen you before. I practically live in the library.”

“I’ve been here since September. Work study.” It felt like Clint had lived in the library since he started coursework. Somehow he’d never run into hottie Phil before. “What are you looking for 1954 hearings for?”

“I’m doing my dissertation on the subversive nature of Captain America comics. I need to find the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency hearings from the 50s.”

Clint could feel his eyes glaze over. “Juvenile Delinquency. That sounds sexy.” Actually the way Phil spoke was so passionate, it sounded incredibly hot.

Phil gestured. “A psychologist named Fredric Wertham claimed comics were damaging to youth, inciting anything from violence to homosexuality.”

Clint could feel his cheeks heat.

“But the Captain America comics were different, because they were based on a person who actually lived. My thesis is about the disconnect between who Captain America really was and the propaganda that arose after his death. Wertham’s testimony would be especially helpful.”

“Um. Here we are. Bound hearings.” Clint’s voice might have caught on the word ‘bound.’ “The 1950s should be right here.”

Phil beamed. His smile made Clint feel warm right down to his toes. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Clint started to walk away. He couldn’t shake the feeling that rose on the back of his neck. When he turned back around, Phil was still looking at him. “Did you need something else?”

Phil cleared his throat. “The volume I need seems to be missing.”

Clint came right over. Sure enough, there was a space on the shelf that was suspiciously empty. Huh. He was sure the set was complete a moment ago. “Ok. I can report it to the librarian in charge. But I’m sure we can fill out an ILL - that’s interlilbrary loan - request for it if you really need it. Do you want me to show you how?”

“I, uh, I actually know how to do that.”

Of course. Phil was a graduate student. Clint felt a little dumb offering his help. It wasn’t like he did anything more than shelve or check out books. His one skill had been mastering the SuDoc system and the library layout so quickly. “Sure. I guess I’ll just...”

“Would you like to get coffee? With me?” Phil blurted out. His face had turned an interesting shade of red.

“You just met me.” Clint said. Sometimes his mouth got in the way of what he wanted to say.

“Well, yes, but you didn’t tease me for writing a PhD Thesis on Captain America comics. That’s kinda rare.”

“You did make it sound very sexy,” Clint assured him.

“And that trick with hanging from the shelves was pretty cool. I don’t think they teach that in library training.”

Clint ducked his head. “No. That I learned at the circus.”

“The circus.” Phil repeated. “I think we have quite a few things to talk about over coffee.”

Clint thought so too.


End file.
